Emmerdale 1918
EMMERDALE’S MARK CHARNOCK TELLS US ABOUT A NEW SHOW LOOKING AT WHAT LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE IN YORKSHIRE DURING THE WAR…
There’s an extra dose of Emmerdale action on our screens this week, as some of our favourite stars from the show travel back to 1918 for this documentary series. They delve into the lives of people living in Esholt village – where the soap was originally filmed – at the time of World War I.
First up is Mark Charnock, aka Woolpack chef Marlon, who follows the interesting story of an Army cook called Frederick Brocklehurst…
“Frederick joined up, was thrust into the frontline, and ended up being a cook – even though he wasn’t trained,” explains Mark, as we chat to him about his involvement in the historical show. “What I liked about
Fred is that there was a certain Dingle-ness about him – he didn’t always follow the rules. He smuggled a camera behind the lines when soldiers weren’t meant to do that, so he didn’t naturally bow to authority.”
In a bid to find out what life would have been like for Fred back in 1918, Mark visits some replica trenches to get a taste of fighting on the front line in tough conditions. He also goes to an Army barracks in Lincolnshire – to try his hand at cooking lunch for the troops!
“I didn’t know I was going to the barracks that day,” recalls Mark. “But it was one of those life experiences I will never forget, because I was in a place that I would never normally see, meeting people who I probably wouldn’t usually meet – it was genuinely exciting and nerve-wracking. They’re used to good cooking, and instead they had this lanky idiot making them bad puddings! They were very kind to me, though.”
The rest of the series will see some of Mark’s co-stars investigating the lives of their characters’ wartime counterparts – including Natalie J Robb (Moira) finding out all about a real-life land girl, and Zoe Henry, aka vet Rhona, delving into the life of a front-line vet. And at the end of it all, the stars come together for their very own Armistice Day celebration.
Fred didn’t follow the rules – he didn’t bow to authority
“We all found it very moving, and became personally invested,” Mark tells us. “The producers kept their cards close to their chests, so we didn’t know what to expect on that last day. But Emmerdale’s main street was lined with people waving flags and we had a brass band – and unfortunately I’d cooked for everyone, which got a mixed response! There was a real village fayre feel about it – it was very warm and sincere.”
While Mark enjoyed his foray into the past, he admits that he wouldn’t have wanted to live in 1918 himself. However, he is up for the idea of a special
Emmerdale episode that travels back in time, where the cast all play their characters’ great-grandparents.
“That would be fantastic,” he enthuses. “But I reckon only if I can have a great big moustache!”